She sat alone at the bar, far removed from other patrons and their loud guffaws. She took a sip out of her hot chocolate then daintily sliced off a corner of her cake and raised the fork to her mouth. She intended to celebrate her birthday, but without her family, it felt empty and meaningless. She enjoyed the company of The Ancient and Whiteblaze in the past, but since they left her, she had only herself and this frustrating isolation. But her birthday had arrived, her sixteenth birthday. This day she would be allowed to return to the people she left behind after the fire.
     But she had already tried to find them. She had journeyed to their former residence only to find it occupied by a new family. She had no idea where her family had gone, and she couldn't search the entire nation without help. Ancient One, please guide me. I can't continue wandering alone. You promised me I could see my family again after my training was complete, but if they've moved from my old home, I have to know where they live. Please give me a sign! she prayed silently and looked up at the shelves behind the bar and their many glasses.
     The subject being discussed on a news segment on the TV caught her attention and she looked up at the screen. She slid off her barstool and walked over to the screen, taking her plate and glass with her. She reached up and turned the knob then took a new seat closer to the TV and listened patiently.
     "...If yesterday's giant squid sighting is any indication, we have to assume powerful, supernatural forces are at work..."
     "Oh, so now I suppose you're going to start off on all that UFO garbage? You sound like that nut Arthur Halley-"
     "Seriously! Take, for example, the Toyama Disturbance? Thousands of eyewitness accounts of both armies of armored soldiers and the golden castle in the sky-" Before the other man could mouth his rebuttal. "Don't write it off as mass hysteria or delirium! This is not a hoax or the work of global terrorist organizations. Remember, a few months ago, a...a... what was her name...Professor Mia Koji. She spoke at the UN Council recently and gave a very detailed, concise account of these 'Dynasty Armies' and these 'Ronin Warriors' who fight them. She even mentioned that she knows them personally. Take for example this fellow.." An image of a young man standing in the middle of a ring of riot police defiantly came up on the screen.
     "Hey, miss, we don't wanna watch this crap!" One of the nearby men guffawed. The girl ignored him and kept her eyes fixed on the screen. The group of men snickered amongst themselves and one slid off his stool and walked past the girl.
     "No offense, kid, but I'm missin' the game, and I got good money riding on it-" he began as he reached for the knob on the TV panel. Without warning, the girl gripped his collar, swung forward and slammed him against the bar top, then swung her arm back and bashed him against the counter top again. All the while she did this, her gaze never moved from the TV screen. The man slumped to the floor, unconscious. His bar buddies watched the girl with a mixture of shock and disgust. The debate finished and the girl dropped a small tip on the counter. She slipped on her jacket-a worn gray windbreaker-and took up her backpack. She left the bar quietly with only the ringing of the doorbell to signal her passing. The men scrambled off their chairs and followed her.
     "Hey! Kid! You got a lot of nerve messing with our pal!" the victim's bar buddy accused. The girl ignored him and continued walking. "Hey, I'm talkin' to ya!" the man sneered and reached to grab her arm. The girl leaned to the side far enough to avoid his grasp and kept walking. The stupid man blinked then scowled and darted to the side then infront of the girl. "You deaf or somethin'? I told you to sto-" The girl crouched then sprang up, somersaulting over his head and landing behind him back on the sidewalk. She continued walking, eventually vanishing into the crowd and leaving the bar buffoons totally speechless.

*****

"You're sure those files arrived on time? Good. Let me know when the committee is finished reviewing them. Thanks. Goodbye," Mia finished and hung up the phone. She turned her attention back to her computer and the report she worked on. Just then the doorbell rang. "ooh, and I was on a roll..." she muttered. She hurried downstairs, not noticing the huge furry white entity that napped beneath the stairs. The entity looked up lazily with big brown eyes and yawned, lips curling back and exposing huge white teeth. The being got to all fours and padded towards the front hall quietly and watched Mia open the door.
     A girl stood there. She looked to be in her late teens with brownish eyes of a curious hue and jet black hair that flowed down her back in two ponytails. She wore ragged blue jeans, a faded light pink shirt, and a worn gray windbreaker over that. She held a backpack slung over one shoulder by the strap and gazed upward at first. She apparently studied the doorway idly while she waited for an answer, but snapped to attention when she saw Mia open the door. "Umm, hi..uhh...does a guy by the name of Ryo Sanada live here?" the girl asked. Mia blinked, not sure what to make of the request.
     "Well, he stays here often, but..."
     "Is he here right now, as in this moment?"
     "No...he's out with his friends...uh...playing soccer..." Mia couldn't just tell a complete stranger about Ryo training in armor.
     "Do you have any idea when he'll be back? I really need to see him, would I be able to wait for him here?" Mia opened her mouth to say something then shook her head.
     "I'm sorry, and not to hurt your feelings or anything, but I don't know who you are and I can't just let a stranger hang around my home." The girl bit her lip and nodded.
     "Tell him I stopped by, then," the girl said simply then turned and walked away. Mia frowned and stepped outside.
     "Wait, do you at least have a name I can give him?"
     "Just tell him I was here. He'll know who I am when you tell him about me," the girl called back in reply and continued down the road. Mia frowned, puzzled by the answer. She didn't notice the being that sat in the shadows of the hall. She sighed then went back inside and shut the door. "ooh!" Mia cried out when she saw the furry entity.
     The large white tiger sat on the floor and gazed up at her calmly with his enigmatic brown eyes. Mia smiled then chuckled and knelt down. "Whiteblaze, you shouldn't startle me like that. How long have you been in here, huh? You don't come by often enough. Oooh you big silly tiger," she cooed and grabbed the tufts on his cheeks and tugged them. Whiteblaze smiled and closed his eyes, basking in the attention. "Did you happen to get any strange vibe from that girl? I know I came off sounding a bit rude, but with Ryo and the guys staying here again, I can't take any chances with assassins or Dynasty creeps." The tiger gave no reply and looked her in the eye. Then he rose up and licked her face. "Hee hee. You darling, you," Mia giggled and kissed him on the nose then hugged him. Whiteblaze stared past Mia at the door where the girl had stood not long ago.

*****

Mia busily prepared lunch for when the guys returned. She had already made lunch for Whiteblaze. The large ancient tiger dined out of a ceramic bowl Mia had custom made with his name engraved in it. He behaved like a very big housecat. The two looked up when they heard loud voices. The five Ronin Warriors had returned, chatting about their training and teasing each other on their weaknesses and how to improve. Mia put down the butter knife and moved over to the edge of the counter. "Ryo, a girl came by earlier asking for you," she notified as the guys came into the kitchen.
     "Oooh, Ryo have a secret romance he never told us about?" Cye snickered. The Ronin Leader brushed off the comment in good humor and leaned against the counter.
     "That's impossible. I never had any girlfriends when I was young. What did this girl look like?" he asked Mia. Mia frowned and rested an elbow on the counter top.
     "She seemed young...probably a few years younger than you...She had black hair, about as black as yours...she had it in two ponytails down her back... her clothes looked like a total mess...but her eyes...now that I think of it...they were a very peculiar shade of brown ...I've never seen eyes like them before..." Mia muttered to herself. Ryo shrugged indifferently, still grinning slightly.
     "Did she say anything?"
     "She wouldn't give me her name. She just said to 'tell you she was here...and that you would know who she was when I told you about her'...that's all," Mia finished. The other guys blinked, confused by the account. Ryo's jovial expression melted into one of utter shock. He gripped the edge of the counter and leaned away slightly, gaze turning to the side then down to the floor. He pushed away abruptly and ran upstairs quickly. The other guys glanced at each other then up at the doorway to his room.
     Rowen and Kento crept upstairs and peeked around the corner and much to their surprise saw Ryo rummaging through his room frantically. He pawed through every drawer, desk, and closet searching for something. He paused then gripped both sides of his head and growled in frustration. He threw down his hands and turned around, muttering something to himself, then exclaimed something and ran over to the corner of his bed and knelt down and began searching under it.
     Ryo paid the two observers no heed as he ran past them and back downstairs. He ran over to Mia and held up something for her to see. "Did she look like this?" Ryo asked, a desperate edge to his voice. Mia blinked and looked at what Ryo held: a small, half-torn color photograph. She gingerly grabbed it by the bottom corners and leaned close to study it.
     "Umm...I don't know...like I said, she looked like she was in her late teens..."
     "Mia, take a good look, please! This is important! Is this the girl you saw?" Ryo reiterated and pushed the photo forward slightly. Mia glanced at it again. The girl in the picture had to be around ten years old, twelve at the latest. This girl clearly had the same color of eyes as the mysterious guest earlier that day. She shared not only the same hair color but the unique style of bangs...
     "I...guess-" Mia began.
     "Can you be absolutely sure, without any doubt that it was her?" Ryo demanded, almost yelling and startling Mia with his tone.
     "Y-Yes! I-I'm positive..." she answered, not sure what to make of all this. Ryo looked panicked by the answer and staggered away from the counter. He looked back at her.
     "Did...did she leave an address...did she say where someone could reach her?!"
     "N-N-No! But...you could ask Whiteblaze. He was here when she-" Mia wasn't able to finish the sentence as Ryo rushed past her and knelt beside the tiger.
     "Whiteblaze! Listen to me, I need your help. That girl that came to the house today? Did you catch her scent? Can you track her?" Ryo begged of the tiger.
     Whiteblaze had remained on the floor the entire time hunched over his bowl. He stared at Ryo and blinked a few times. Then his furry lips spread in a smile. He rose up and gave Ryo a long, hard lick across the face then got to all fours and padded towards the door. He reached up and turned the knob open with his mouth. All the while Ryo followed him, practically on his heels. The tiger took off running with Ryo close behind, doing everything in his normal physical capability to keep up with the speedy cat.
     "Guys, go after him! He may need help!" Mia hastily advised, Sage and Cye nodded and headed out the door after their friend with Kento and Rowen jogging down the stairs to follow. Mia remained alone in her home to worry and pray for Ryo, puzzling over what could have upset Ryo so much about this girl. She sighed and decided to go back to making lunch to pass the time. Then the doorbell rang again. Mia frowned and looked up. Who could it be now? Mia thought to herself as she walked to the door.

*****

Ryo panted heavily as he struggled to keep up with his companion. Whiteblaze, for all his thousand years of age, could easily outrun a car, and unfortunately seemed a bit too enthusiastic to help Ryo in his quest. Ryo didn't wear sub-armor and did not have access to the enhanced speed it provided, but he didn't think about armor or evil. He thought about the girl Mia had described...
     "Whiteblaze! Whiteblaze, slow down! Slow down, I can't keep up! Whiteblaze!" Ryo cried and his pace dropped. He stopped all together and almost keeled over from exhaustion. The tiger seemed more intent on finding the person first. "Whiteblaze..." Ryo whispered and panted heavily to catch his breath.
     He blinked and looked up when he heard three loud metallic thumps, a sound familiar from countless encounters with the animate spirit-occupied suits of armor that composed the staple of the Dynasty infantry. Such a loud metal bang also indicated the arrival of an armor bearer such as an elite warlord of the Dynasty. Ryo stood up slowly and glanced back and forth between each of the heavily armored figures standing infront of him.
     One wore black and red-violet armor. While the deceased former Dark Warlord Anubis had held the title of Demon General, being the bearer of the Ogre Armor of Cruelty, this newcomer's armor seemed to put more emphasis on demon than general with curved horns twisting up from his helmet and a faceplate shaped like a human skull peeled of flesh. His companion that stood to his left wore grayish armor, deep and smoky that seemed to shift and shimmer in such a way it reminded Ryo of those nausea-inducing optical illusions. The fellow on his right wore armor that appeared drenched, no, lacquered with blood with white trimming around the armor plates. The faceplate seemed wrenched from the skull of a slain demon, it looked so gruesome and misshapen.
     Ryo blinked again and cocked his head to one side. "...who...?" he began.
     "Are we? We are your judge, jury, and executioner, Ryo of the Wildfire, Ronin Leader," the center warlord spoke.
     "You may call us the Night Warlords. We are the warriors hand-picked by Dygra, Dynasty Beast Warden to mete out her death sentences and punishments to those who dare oppose the will of the Dynasty Empire!"
     "You were a fool to come out here alone without your armor," the right- hand warlord sneered. All the while Ryo stared at the three with an eyebrow raised.
     "However, we should at least introduce ourselves before we brutally kill you. I am Chaizar, Warlord of Pestilence. I am the plague bearer of the Dynasty and I infect my unfortunate victims with otherworldly diseases and illnesses."
     "I am Balthazar, Warlord of Famine. I sow despair in mortal man by depriving them of the strength to resist the Dynasty."
     "And I am Scar, Warlord of Nightmare. I am the Dynasty's incarnation of terror, and my armor is the manifestation of mankind's deepest and most profound fears."
     While the warlords gave their introductions and made little speeches about the various ways they would kill Ryo, the Ronin Leader's expression slowly changed from confused to irritated. As the warlords continued orating, it changed from irritated to enraged. Ryo's lip curled up over his teeth and one eyebrow began twitching. He slowly clenched his fists, eyes burning with anger...
     "While you may be a martyr to the human cattle, martyrs are easily forgotten when under the complete, unquestionable control of fear. You have fought valiantly against the Dynasty in the past, but your glory days have come to an end, Ronin Leader," Chaizar began. Ryo bared his teeth and raised his fists, elbows pressed hard against his sides.
     "BIG-*censored*-WHOOP!" Ryo Sanada shrieked at the top of his lungs. The three warlords paused and stared at him, bewildered. "I've got better things to do with my time than hang around listening to a pack of LOSERS like YOU! NOW OUT OF MY WAY!" Ryo screamed and ran towards them. Chaizar dumbly stepped to the side and watched as Ryo ran past, heading in the direction he'd last seen Whiteblaze. The three Dynasty Warlords stared after the Ronin Leader as he fled into the woods. They glanced to the side when they saw a brawny young man pause and point at them with both fingers.
     "We'll get back to you about that in just a moment," Kento said and took off after Ryo, followed by Rowen, Sage, and Cye. The three warlords remained standing in the woods with no sound other than insects chirping and buzzing in the background.
     "...okay..." Chaizar ran his tongue around in his mouth then smacked his lips and opened his mouth to speak. "That...was not supposed to happen..." he muttered in a tiny voice.
     "Wildfire seemed distressed. He appears to be seeking something...or someone," Scar intoned dryly.
     "Indeed...we should follow him and see what that is, don't you agree?" Balthazar snickered, body quaking in anticipation.
     "Wholeheartedly," Chaizar grinned evilly and narrowed his eyes.
     Ryo ran aimlessly at this point. Because of the distraction, Whiteblaze had long since ran out of sight. Now Ryo seemed to run for the sake of running. He didn't bother glancing to the side when his friend ran up along side him. It took little effort for Kento to keep up with Ryo's swift, staggering pace.
     "Uhh...Ryo...what was that back there?" Kento demanded.
     "What was what?" Ryo asked calmly in an eerily indifferent tone.
     "That! You-You totally blew off those Dynasty Warlords!"
     "Yes I know, Kento. Your point?"
     "That's, like, a total breach of proper Ronin Conduct!"
     "Look, Kento, I don't have time for that right now," Ryo answered, still indifferent. Kento growled and grabbed Ryo by the collar and yanked him to a stop quite roughly.
     "Well you're gonna make time! I want some answers as to what the heck is going on!" he demanded. Ryo glared at him, eyes taking on a wild, burning impatience. He wrenched away from Kento's grasp and moved to continue running. This time, Kento grabbed him by the collar with both hands and swung him to the side and slammed his back against a tree.
     "That's it! You are really walking a tight rope with me, buddy! Now you're gonna tell me everything right now or else I'm gonna-" Kento began and raised a fist menacingly. He blinked and frowned when he saw Ryo's face.
     Tears streamed from his eyes and he had a bereaved expression. Kento lowered his fist, stunned by this sight. "...whoa...Ryo..." Ryo began heaving from trying to hold back sobs that gripped his body. "Ryo...who was that girl?" Kento asked softly and scowled, loosening his grip on Ryo's collar. Ryo took several deep breaths before continuing and looked up at his concerned friend.
     "...s-somebody came to the house today...somebody came looking for me! She may be someone from my past who I thought died a long time ago...but if she is alive, then I have to find her! I have to find her before...before..." Ryo trailed off and began gasping in air, trying to keep from breaking down. By this point Kento had let go of Ryo's collar and stepped back, impatience and irritation changing into heartfelt sympathy.
     "Whoa...Ryo, dude, I'm so sorry...look, if this girl is really important to ya, you can bet I'll help you find her!" Kento pledged and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
     "And so will we. Don't forget; your friends are with you," Sage reminded as he, Rowen, and Cye arrived. Ryo slowly began to catch his breath and smiled weakly.
     "Thanks...guys...thanks for understanding..." He panted.
     "Awwww, how cute. The Ronin Leader is searching for a long lost loved one," a voice mocked from the side.
     "Too bad he'll never get to see her." Ryo recognized the voices and his grief immediately evaporated, giving way to anger again.
     "Rrrrgh! I thought I told you guys to buzz off!" Ryo snarled and narrowed his eyes at the three pesky warlords.
     "Well, you see: Dygra really really wishes you dead, and we cannot return with the job undone," Chaizar said cheerfully.
     "We will perform our task, despite your personal conflicts," Scar sneered.
     A fire sparked deep in Ryo's blue eyes and he clenched his fists tight and stepped away from his friends. "Then I'm afraid you're gonna have to disappoint your master because I'm gonna give you the butt-kicking you've been asking for!"
     Ryo spread his fingers and swept his hand up. Fire sprouted from his very fingertips and swirled in an arc as he lashed his arm to one side then back. The fire thickened and seemed to wrap around him like cloth. A cry echoed from the midst of the fiery cocoon: "ARMOR OF WILDFIRE! TAO JIN!" The Dynasty henchmen watched in awe as they could see the outline of Ryo's form in the fire. One arm left the column, fire receding and revealing a silver gauntlet with black metal mesh covering the skin. Ryo clenched his fists and tossed his head as the last of the fire swirled around his head then scattered in sparks, leaving behind the gleaming helmet with its distinctive golden crest, curved like the flames that had birthed it. He squared his shoulders and held his arms at his sides and glared at the warlords, eyes burning for the fight.
     "...whoa...why can't our armors look that good?" Balthazar whispered. Chaizar did a double take then rolled his eyes and smacked him upside the head. The Warlord of Famine's mouth formed a silent "Ow" and he clutched the back of his head.
     "You are as much the hothead as our Mistress described. Such blind fury will be your downfall," Scar proclaimed.
     "That's why we're here to back him up! ARMOR OF STRATA! TAO INOCHI!" Air distorted around Rowen briefly, revealing him in his silver and blue armor. He raised his great golden longbow and put an arrow to the string.
     "ARMOR OF TORRENT! TAO SHIN!" Moisture pulled in from the air and plants themselves at Cye's summons and washed over him in a spiraling pillar. The water spread and fell back to the ground, revealing his light blue and silver armor. He twirled his trident around in one hand then plunged one end into the ground.
     "ARMOR OF HALO! TAO REI!" Sage howled. His clothes seemed to turn into light, sending out a bright glow that flooded the area. The light dimmed and revealed him in his green and silver armor. He swept his sword up and ran his hand down the blade.
     "ARMOR OF HARDROCK! TAO GI!" Kento roared and threw back his head. The earth itself sent up showers of dirt and rock bits that wrapped around his body and solidified into his orange and silver armor. He reached out and closed his fingers around his bo as it formed and flexed his grip around the weapon.
     "Thanks, guys," Ryo said once more and smirked at the others.
     "We can't let you have all the fun," Sage jokingly reasoned. The five fully armored Ronin Warriors stood at the ready to face the Dynasty minions who dared challenge them.

Chaizar smiled slightly at first. Then his lips peeled back over his teeth in a sadistic grin. "Such fine plumage, the pretty birds have...oh, but you will all scream once we finish with you. You, in particular, Ronin Leader. I think your hair will make a most memorable trophy." Ryo merely scowled and sniffed in response to the threat.
     Rowen glared at the warlord who had addressed himself as Scar, Warlord of Nightmare to Ryo. "In the past, every time we've gone up against Dynasty Warlords like you, we've always sent them runnin' with their tails between their legs. With just the three of you against all five of us, this'll be a cakewalk."
     Scar's almost colorless eyes narrowed behind his face plate. Rowen blinked and frowned when he felt a curious sensation on his left arm. It felt like the black mesh primary layer of his sub-armor crawled... "What are you afraid of losing most? Your life, or your humanity?" Scar whispered in a hollow voice. Rowen looked at his other hand and spread his fingers. The mesh seemed to contract around his skin. He gasped when he felt something else. He felt the plates of his armor tightening!
     "No...no! What are you doing?!" Rowen cried out and staggered back. He dropped his bow and clutched his wrist and felt along his arm with his fingers. The mesh didn't feel loose over his flesh. It felt like his flesh! The plates on his forearms seemed to sink down slightly, and he could feel them melting into his skin. The other Ronin watched, confused and surprised by the behavior of their normally most rational teammate. Rowen began scrabbling and clutching at his chest plate, tugging at the edges as if trying to pull it off. He began whimpering when his faceplate slid down without warning and pressed against his face. His eyes widened to the limit when he could feel it sinking into his flesh, the metal rims of the mask's mouth and eye sockets warping and conforming to the contours of his own face...becoming his face!
     "NO! NO! AAAHAAAA! STOP IT!" Rowen wailed and staggered back.
     "Rowen, what's wrong?" Ryo demanded. The others couldn't see anything different.
     "MY ARMOR! I-I-IT'S CHANGING ME!" Rowen screamed and tugged at his armor collar. Ryo scowled then turned to Sage.
     "Do what you can to help him. We'll take care of these creeps." Sage nodded in reply and rushed over to deal with the hysterical Rowen. Kento glared at Balthazar.
     "That's it. Nobody messes with my friend and gets away with it!"
     "Oooooh, and what are you gonna do, tough guy? Beat me up?" the Warlord of Famine taunted. Kento narrowed his eyes.
     "Allright, you asked for it!" he roared and charged. Balthazar didn't move at all but did bring his weapon-an assassin's thrusting dagger-up to block. Kento swung forward with his bo and landed such a crushing blow, it sent the warlord skidding back on the soles of his feet. Kento pressed down, forcing the warlord close to the ground. "What's wrong? Dish it out but ya can't take it?" Kento taunted, thinking he had the advantage.
     "Nooo...I got you right where I wanted you!" Balthazar's eyes and the blade of his dagger glowed with a reddish light. "FEROCIOUS FELL FAMINE!" Kento's eyes widened when he felt a shock go through his body. He leaned back slightly then collapsed onto his side. Balthazar didn't make a move to finish him off. Instead, he stood up and stepped back to admire his work.
     "Kento!" Cye rushed to his friend's side and knelt by him. "Kento, you okay? What happened?" The Ronin of Hardrock's eyes looked glazed and distant.
     "I...don't know, man...I...I just feel like I'm starving like I've never eaten before..."
     "This is no time to be having one of your hunger attacks! This is serious!"
     "I am being serious, dude...I feel really tired..." Kento whispered. He tried standing up but could only twitch his arm feebly. He couldn't even keep his fingers clasped around his weapon. Cye rose to one knee and glared at Balthazar.
     "What did you do to him, creep?"
     "One of the rules of oppression is to starve the populace so they cannot defy your iron will. I merely robbed your friend of the energy gained from sustenance. Despite your armors, you are still human, and humans cannot withstand severe fatigue." Cye scowled and raised his trident.
     "What a cheap trick! You're too pathetic to take him on in a fair fight, so you use such underhanded tactics?!"
     "Incase you've forgotten, the Dynasty doesn't fight 'fair'." Cye scowled and glanced at his friend. He laid his trident down across his lap then reached under his left gauntlet.
     "Psst," Cye hissed out the corner of his mouth. Kento looked up slowly, confused. Cye grinned and pulled a snack bar out from under the metal plate by the corner of its wrapper. "I always carry one of these for after the battle. Never thought it might actually come in handy during a fight," Cye said and peeled the wrapper open. He stuck one end into Kento's waiting mouth and let his friend munch on it while he stood back up to face the three Night Warlords. "I'll get 'em good for you, mate," he promised.
     "Stand back, Balthazar. Let me handle this one," Chaizar swept his arm to one side. Balthazar obeyed and stepped back to stand beside Scar. The apparent leader of the Night Warlords raised his crescent shaped double blade and stepped forward to meet Cye's vengeance. "Launch your supreme power, Torrent. I will meet you with equal force."
     "This is for Kento and Rowen! SUPER WAVE SMASHER!" Cye howled and aimed his weapon. Moisture collected from the air and gathered onto the three blades before launching forward in a terrific blast. Chaizar smiled and held his crescent up with both hands infront of him. The wave sped towards him with the power of the greatest tides behind it. It struck the crescent blade...and stopped! "What?!" Cye exclaimed when he saw the wave twitching and writhing. A violent red glow rippled around the crescent blade and seemed to drink in the water. "He's...he's absorbing my attack!?" Chaizar grinned wickedly then swung the blade forward.
     "Here's your attack back, along with a little present I like to call- PUNISHING NETHER PLAGUE!" A ball of red violet light shot forward from the blades' tips and struck Cye in the stomach.
     The Warrior of Water sank onto the ground, his armor clanking as he slumped to his side. His body felt weak and depleted, but not in the same way Kento had suffered. Cye's body felt extremely hot, and his skin felt itchy as if chewed by red ants. His lungs burned and his stomach heaved, bile rising in his throat.
     "Cye!" Kento cried out. The strength of the ground and the meager snack bar his friend had supplied him with had revitalized him enough so he could stand.
     "Kento, stay back. Take Cye over to Sage. Let me handle this," Ryo ordered.
     "Okay man, but be careful," Kento warned and slung Cye's arm around his shoulder.
     "That is very valiant of you, Ronin Leader, but seeing as how your friends succumbed to our power, despite their enhanced armors, I fail to see how you can change the outcome of this fight and your inevitable defeat," Chaizar said confidently.
     "I'm not afraid," Ryo growled and crossed his swords.
     "You will be. Let me soften him up for you, Chaizar. I can disable him without moving from this spot," Scar declared. Chaizar nodded and stepped out of the line of fire. Ryo raised his blades and steeled himself for any attack. Out of all of the Ronin Warriors, he had endured the most when it came to direct attacks. All his encounters with Talpa and the Dark Warlords had hardened the Ronin Leader. Whatever this warlord threw at him, he would take it and still remain steadfast...
     Scar lifted a flanged mace and pointed it at him. "Horrifying Hallucination," he said simply. The landscape around Ryo warped and pitched. He held his ground as the forest seemed to melt. This vaguely reminded him of Dais's tactics. The Warlord of Illusion had often times used his powers to manipulate the outcomes of battles in his own favor, once tricking Ryo and Cye into using their own super powers directly at each other. However, Dais's power had never reminded him of black light posters... Ryo narrowed his eyes and tried to keep his focus on the shifting form a few feet away. He cried out when he felt something and looked down to see his feet sinking into the ground, which had turned molten all of a sudden. The ground solidified, leaving Ryo stuck up to his ankles. He frowned and snorted as the forest returned to normal.
     "I know this isn't real. It's just an illusion, and I'm too smart to let myself be fooled by that," Ryo spat and moved to step forward. "Huh?" He blinked when he realized he couldn't move his legs. He struggled to lift one leg but it remained planted in the ground. What's wrong here? I know he didn't really melt the ground, but why can't I move!
     Meanwhile, Sage did his level best to deal with an uncooperative Rowen in a calm, patient manner...which didn't seem to work. Sage growled and shook his friend by the shoulders roughly. "Your armor isn't attaching itself to your skin! Look!" Sage grabbed Rowen's helmet by its crest and yanked it off. "I just took off your helmet! You still have your face!" Rowen still screamed about losing his soul and his humanity. Sage narrowed his eyes and began slapping him repeatedly. "Pull*SLAP*yourself*SLAP* together*SLAP*, Hashiba! Can you feel that! Can you feel me hitting you?! Can you feel this!" Sage wrapped his hand around the thick lock of hair that hung between Rowen's eyes and tugged.
     "OWOWOWOWOWOW! Allright! I'm back! I'm back! Quit doin' that!" Rowen cried in protest as he came to his senses. He rubbed the sore area of his scalp around his bangs. He gasped when he saw Ryo alone facing the warlords. "Ryo!"
     "You no doubt wonder how you cannot move even though you know you are not actually rooted in place. That is because what you just experienced is no mere parlor trick. I have studied the techniques utilized by the former Dark Warlord, Dais, and the flaw in his strategies lie in his power itself. You see, any warrior can ignore his illusions and see through his deceptions, striking at the source instead. But my power, my power can reach into the very core of a person's mind and body. Whereas your experience and your stubborn will may tell you your feet are not frozen, your body feels otherwise. You are practically rooted to the ground with fear!" Scar explained and laughed, a deep rattling laugh. "You could not move even if you wanted to!"
     "And now that you have been immobilized, the time has come to eliminate you once and for all," Chaizar began and stepped forward, crescent blade in hand. "You have been a worthy enemy of the Dynasty, but you will trouble us no more."
     "Ryo!" Rowen and Sage both cried out and moved to intervene.
     "PUNISHING NETHER PLAGUE!" Chaizar howled and launched his attack before the two Ronin took a step. Ryo jerked his legs, but they remained frozen, his body believing they were stuck into the ground.
     A long golden cord erupted from the brush with a sharp whizzing sound. "Gaack!" Ryo squawked as something yanked him quite roughly out of the path of the attack. Ryo landed hard on his shoulders upside down on the ground close to where the other Ronin were gathered. He blinked at them then grunted and rolled over and sat up straight. "What...the heck was that?"
     "Ryo! Your waist!" Cye pointed to him. Ryo looked down and got a better look at the cord that wrapped around him. He watched, intrigued as the blade-tipped cord disengaged and retreated back into the branches.
     "What just happened?" Chaizar demanded the three Night Warlords stared at the trees. The Ronin watched anxiously as well.

A pink colored form sprang out from the branches, leaves showering everywhere and startling both parties. The form let out a shrill battle cry and held out two semicircular blades. Chaizar gasped when he realized the newcomer headed straight for him but did not react in time as the stranger landed on the ground infront of him and slashed furiously. He caught a glimpse of armor and a silvery face mask and the determined sneer behind it. The sounds of metal striking metal filled his ears, but surprise had him rooted in place. The stranger stopped slashing and withdrew.
     A shard of armor plate peeled away from his body and fell to the ground with a loud thump. Another followed, followed by another. More and more pieces of broken armor clattered to the ground. His face plate slipped off last. Cye started snickering. His body shook as he tried to quiet himself but he eventually broke out into hysterical laughter. Kento guffawed loudly and slapped a hand at his knee, and Rowen keeled over and pointed at the Night Warlord Leader. Even Ryo and Sage chuckled at what they saw. "Nice six-pack, Chaizar!" Cye teased.
     Chaizar looked down and saw his entire chest exposed, from the neck to just a bit below the waist. The Ronin could see the face behind the Dynasty armor, the scars covering Chaizar's jaw and the wild black hair that poked out from what remained of his helmet. His dark eyes widened in shock and humiliation. He growled and turned around.
     "Finish them off! I will return to the Dark Territory to get my armor repaired!" with that, the exposed warlord and the broken pieces of his armor vanished. Scar and Balthazar remained behind with the five weakened Ronin and the mysterious newcomer.
     The warrior appeared female. She wore full Armor, the basic structure similar to that of the Nine. Magenta plate covered her arms, legs, and chest with gold and lavender accents. She sported a black and gold emblem on her stomach just below her breasts. The insignia depicted nine s-curves arranged around a red dot, or eye. Two long curved blade crests jutted out the sides of her helmet, and a small gold v-shaped crest adorned the brow. The face mask seemed to resemble the face of an ancient spirit. Small blades like whiskers ran along the jawline. Shadow cast by the sun covered her eyes, but her mouth remained set in determination.
     Balthazar's nervous quivering gave way to seething anger. "I-I don't know who you think you are, but your arrival changes nothing!" The warrior said nothing and held the two circular blades at her sides. Before Scar could object, the impulsive Balthazar charged towards the warrior, screaming loudly with dagger bared. The warrior made no move to defend herself at first. She reached behind her back and slid the blade halves under a pair of sword scabbards. Then she reached up and closed her hands around the spiral grips of twin swords. The crossguards resembled the emblem on her chest. She drew the swords, blades singing as they left their housing, and swung them forward. However, instead of slashing at the oncoming Balthazar, she spun them around in her hands and plunged the tips into the ground.
     Nothing could've prepared Balthazar for what happened next. The warrior lifted herself off the ground, supporting her weight with the planted swords. When Balthazar came in range, she swung her feet up so the small blades on her toe plates caught his face plate under the chin. The Warlord of Famine cried out in protest as the warrior swung her legs up and over. She lifted him high into the air, still holding herself up by the swords, then around and down, slamming him face first into the ground violently.

"Whooooaaa..." Kento whistled, impressed by the unorthodox maneuver. "She's got some good moves...I say we let her join!" he suggested cheerfully.
     "Huh-What?!" Ryo exclaimed and looked over his shoulder at his friend, startled by the remark.
     While the warrior performed this new tactic on the reckless Balthazar, Scar stood still and narrowed his eyes. A shadow formed beneath him and he sank into the dark pool. A new shadow appeared behind the warrior, between her and the weakened Ronin. Scar's ghastly form rose out of it like a hellish fiend. He tightened his grip around the cruel mace he bore and bared his teeth in anticipation for the kill.
     "Hey! Watch out!" Rowen shouted. Scar lunged quickly. With his speed, he could land a crushing blow to the back of the warrior's head before she could react.
     The warrior didn't move to turn around, but glared at the warlord out the corner of her eye. She lifted one leg up and thrust backwards with her toe like a piston. Metal screamed as the kick struck with shuddering force, her toe plunging into the armor covering the warlord's crotch. The kick sent him flying onto his back, and he curled up on the ground feebly. The Ronin winced, almost sympathetically. Cye squeezed his eyes shut and glanced away and Sage raised a hand to his mouth, appalled.
     "Okay...that is definitely not proper Ronin Conduct," Kento muttered and grimaced. Ryo frowned and looked at him.
     "Whoa, wait a second. Who says she's a Ronin? We don't even know her."
     "Oh come on, Ryo. Look at her armor! It's, like, the same as our old armors...except...pink...and girlish...and...pink..." Kento shrugged and gestured to the mysterious warrior. Ryo pondered this and looked at her.
     "But...there's no such thing as a tenth Armor...is there?"
     Balthazar had finally recovered from the impact and stood up in time to see the warrior land the devastating kick to his comrade's manhood. Scar vanished in teleport, leaving him alone with this warrior. He began quaking nervously again and raised his dagger.         "Wh-Who are you!?" he demanded. The warrior looked up slightly and he could see eyes of a peculiar shade of brown.
     "Never falling, never fleeing, free from fear, and free from sin. I am the Eternal Voice of the Earth, I am the Warrior of the Wind," she recited stiffly and squared her shoulders.
     Balthazar's eyes bugged out, fear overtaking his battle-lust. "F-F-Forget this! I'm out of here!" he squawked and vanished. The warrior sniffed in disdain and slid her swords back into their scabbards.
     "Wussy little *censored*..." she sneered. Ryo blinked in surprise when Whiteblaze emerged from the bushes all of a sudden. The tiger walked up behind the mysterious warrior and butted her in the back of her knees gently, crooning. The warrior turned around and looked down at him. "Whiteblaze?! Is that you!...Oh my gosh! It IS you! Oh! I thought I'd never see you again! You old tiger, where the hell have you been! I missed you so much!" The warrior beamed and knelt down infront of the tiger. The tiger chuffed happily and nuzzled her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. She began giggling and making high pitched squeals of joy from this unexpected reunion.
     Ryo and the others, a bit recovered from the fight, stepped forward cautiously. Ryo moved closer to the warrior and gazed down at her, surprised at how lovingly she embraced his companion. "Umm...not that we're ungrateful for you bailing us out back there, but how do you know my tiger?" he queried calmly. The warrior's gaze snapped up at that statement and she frowned and stood.
     "Well first of all, he isn't your tiger, he doesn't belong to anybody. He lives of his own will," she snapped and pointed at him then made a sweeping gesture with her hand. Ryo raised an eyebrow, surprised at how fiercely she spoke about Whiteblaze. "And second," she reached up and slipped her fingers under the chin of her face plate and slid her helmet off and shook her hair free. Two long black ponytails hung down her back and wispy black bangs curled over her forehead and between her bronze brown eyes. "I know him from when he lived with me. He kept me company during my training and-Why the *censored* are you staring at me like that you *censored* weirdo?!" she demanded of Ryo and clenched her fists.
     Ryo stared at the female warrior, totally speechless. His fingers curled open, letting his swords fall to the ground. He reached up slowly and slipped his fingers under the rim of his helmet then slid it off and let it fall to the ground. It took a while for the girl to study his face, but it didn't take long for her face to light up with dawning realization. She let her helmet slip to the ground too.
     "Ryo?" she whispered and looked him over. She shakily took a step forward. The two staggered towards one another. "RYO! Oh my gosh!" the girl wept and threw herself into Ryo's arms and buried her face against his shoulder plate. Tears streamed down Ryo's cheeks and he stroked the girl's jet black hair. "I didn't think I would ever find you! I knew you were a Ronin Warrior, I just didn't know which one and-Oh, I'm SO sorry I cussed at you! B-But...you're here..." The girl stammered and continued weeping.
     "...I...thought...you were dead...I thought you had died in the fire!..." Ryo croaked as the weight of sadness lifted from his soul.
     "Whiteblaze saved me! I-It's a long story, I can't tell it all at once- What the heck happened to your armor!?" the girl leaned back and examined the new armor. "...now I don't remember the Ronin Armors looking like that..."
     "Uhh...that's kind of a long story too...I-I can't believe you're really here, that I'm actually holding you! I knew it had to be you when Mia told me about you..."
     "Ryo! What the hell happened to the house? I tried looking for you and Mom and Dad. I know Dad would've wanted to rebuild the place, even after the fire. Hell, he always talked about how he would live and die there and you would inherit the place, but when I went to check there, no one knew where you'd gone. I-Ryo, what's wrong?" the girl frowned when she noticed Ryo's grim expression. "Ryo...what happened to Mom and Dad?" Ryo didn't answer and averted his gaze at first. The girl grabbed his shoulder plates and shook him roughly. "Ryo, tell me dammit!" she demanded. Ryo snapped back to attention, a bit surprised by her harsh tone then sighed as he composed himself.
     "They're gone...both of them," he said simply. The girl furrowed her brow. She let go of Ryo and stepped away.
     "When..." she furrowed her brows and looked up. "How?" she stammered.
     "...Dad...Dad was murdered," Ryo sneered, burning at the horrific memory he had struggled for so long to bury. "And Mom...she...she just vanished...I don't know what happened to her...I'm sorry..."
     The other guys still had yet to fully process the exchange, but they watched as the girl took another step back and turned her gaze to the ground, her wispy bangs shadowing her eyes. They could see her body began to quiver slightly as she began taking deep breaths, each one harder and heavier than the first. Her fists curled up and she began shaking her head. The girl scrunched up her arms tight then whirled around.
     The guys jumped, startled as her cry echoed through the forest like the shriek of a mournful banshee, laden with profound grief as though she couldn't scream loud enough. The girl seemed to go limp and sank to the ground on her knees. "You lied to me...You...lied to me, Ancient..." Ryo didn't hear that remark, barely below a whisper. "You promised me I would see my family again...but you LIED! YOU LIED! AND THEY'RE ALL DEAD!" The girl screamed and nearly fell over, weeping heavily. She barely heard the creaking as Ryo knelt down beside her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
     "I'm still here..." The girl looked up at him with watery eyes and sniffled. "I'm still alive...and as long as I'm here with you, you'll always have your family," he assured softly. The girl looked him in the eye and took several deep, gulping breaths, trying to compose herself. She returned the warm hug and nuzzled his neck and shoulder plate.
     "*sniff* I think I'm gonna cry," Kento wheezed. Sage rolled his eyes and elbowed him roughly, growling in protest. Ryo helped the girl to stand, picking up her helmet as he did so and handing it over to her. Whiteblaze had picked up Ryo's helmet and returned it to his friend.
     "Um...So, Ryo...she a family friend?" Cye queried. Ryo furrowed his brow.
     "No...she's my sister," he replied.
     "Your sister? Dude, I thought you were an only child."
     "So did I...until today...many years ago, a devastating fire destroyed our old home. It completely consumed the place. Everyone else made it to safety...but the fire trapped Tanya in her room. Naturally, we assumed she died. But...she's here. My sister is here!" Ryo breathed with a smile and glanced at the girl. The girl had wiped her tears away and looked at each of the other Ronin. "Guys, Tanya Sanada," Ryo introduced. The girl smiled weakly. Then her gaze settled on Rowen and all of a sudden turned stern.
     "You!" she began and stepped away from Ryo. The bearer of Strata blinked as the girl named Tanya stalked over, finger raised accusingly. She stopped but a foot away and pointed at him between the eyes. Then she bonked him on head sharply. Rowen still had his helmet off, and her armored palm only contributed to the bruising he endured when Sage "helped" him earlier.
     "OOOOOOWWWW!" Rowen squawked in protest then blinked and crossed his eyes to look at the white armored finger pressed against the bridge of his nose.
     "What the hell was that back there?! I was watching you! You were screaming like a schoolgirl! Who the hell taught you how to fight? Your mother!?" she scolded. Kento bristled at that comment and raised a fist.
     "Hey! I take offense to that! My Mom taught me how ta fight!" he defended. Ryo chuckled at seeing Rowen rubbing his sore head and gestured to Kento.
     "Um...Tanya, Kento Rei Faun, Ronin of Hardrock." Kento's expression quickly turned cheerful and he flashed a goofy smile at Ryo's sister and waved. Tanya stared at him with a wary expression and blinked slowly. "And the guy you just hit and called a schoolgirl is Rowen Hashiba, Ronin of Strata." Rowen moaned from his injury and waved lazily. "That guy over there is Cye Mouri, Ronin of Torrent." Cye offered his hand. Tanya, apparently impressed by his courtesy, took it.
     "Pleased to meet you," he greeted and smiled. Tanya nodded and smiled too.

"And that's Sage Date, Ronin of Halo." Sage nodded politely and said hi. "They're my best buds and fellow Ronin Warriors. It was just the five of us through all of the Dynasty Wars, but now...I guess we have a new member." Ryo hinted and looked at Tanya. Tanya walked back over to him and clasped his hand tightly.
     "That's what I've been waiting four years to hear..."
     A high pitched digital beeping stopped the tender moment. The others looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. Kento glanced at his stomach then looked up.
     "Don't look at me. I don't eat phones." Ryo blinked and looked behind him. The answer to the question came when Sage slid off his helmet and reached into his thick blonde hair. He pulled out a small, palm sized cell phone and thumbed it open.
     "Sage here..." he answered. Tanya raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth.
     "Did...that guy just pull a...phone out of his hair?"
     "Don't ask," Ryo simply advised and watched as Sage communicated with someone.
     "Sage, someone from the company in charge of salvaging the old Shinasha University complex just dropped off my Grandfather's old research files and records they recovered from the site, and I found in one of them texts referring to an obscure Japanese folktale describing a female Armor Bearer known as the Lady Ronin and was said to have the power to shield the people from the Dynasty's corruption and inspire them to fight back. I think she may be connected to the Nine Armors in some way."
     Sage looked at the phone then glanced at Tanya out the corner of his eye. "Umm..." He ran his tongue along his lower lip then clicked it against his teeth. "Well, Mia...it's funny you should mention that...because we happen to be standing here with the Lady Ronin...and she's Ryo's sister, the girl who stopped by the house earlier today."
     "What? You're serious! Well what are you waiting for! Bring her over here! There's so many things I need to ask her!" The others listened to Sage say goodbye and close the cell and toss it up and down in his hand.

"That was Mia. She said she stumbled upon some old records about you and she would like to meet you," he told Tanya. Tanya looked up at Ryo.
     "You don't have to worry. Mia's a good friend of ours. She knew more about our armors than we did in the First Dynasty War. In fact, you can come live with us at her place. I'm sure she'll welcome you."
     "Yeah! Mia's the coolest! Free room and board, three square meals a day..."
     "But you often times make it six," Cye corrected his friend.
     "Hey! It's a perk of being a Ronin!" Kento reasoned.
     "Well, Ryo's sister is obviously a Ronin too, and we'd be more than happy to have her living with us," Rowen admitted. He had seen how Tanya warded off the Dynasty warlords, and while unusual, her fighting style proved effective. Tanya, however, seemed unsure of the invitation, almost uncomfortable. Ryo clasped her hand.
     "Please Tanya, come stay with us," he begged gently. Tanya glanced from him to the other Ronin. While hesitant at first, she reluctantly agreed. She barely bat an eye against the Night Warlords yet it seemed the mere act of socializing made her feel uneasy...

*****

"If this were a different situation, I would have had you three cast into the dungeon pits..." Dygra purred from where she sat on her carved basalt throne in her citadel in the Dark Territory. Her three Night Warlords stood at attention, heads bowed as they awaited judgment. "However, given this situation, you were wise to retreat when you did, Balthazar. The arrival of this new Ronin Warrior complicates our objective considerably, and you must be properly briefed on the details before facing her again."
     "Psst. Scar? How you holdin' up?" the young man with dark blond hair and icy blue eyes whispered, his body shuddering periodically at random intervals. The older, taller man with coarse reddish hair flecked with white and gray near a face marred with lumps and whorls of knotted flesh merely growled in reply and glared at the Warlord of Famine. His eyebrows-barely visible on his face-furrowed in a scowl and the two thin wrinkles of flesh he had for lips grimaced in discomfort.

     "His injury will fade. He will be more than ready to participate in the next assault. But know this; the girl you just met today is none other than the successor to Mardrena Lockehart, the Lady Ronin of old who came dangerously close to uniting all of the Nine Armor Bearers against our glorious emperor centuries ago. This new Heir was supposed to have died, but apparently through some intervention survived and is now mature enough to complete the duty at which Mardrena failed. This Lady Ronin must be killed at all costs! Her very presence spells doom for our mission, but you cannot afford to underestimate her abilities. She is no amateur snip of a girl, but the bearer of the-"

*****

"Armor of Typhoon...amazing..." Mia whispered as she glanced from the ink drawing of the Typhoon insignia back up to the real thing on the stomach plate of the Lady Ronin. She glanced back down at the papers to read some of the text.
     "Hello! I'm up here!" Tanya said, sounding a bit irritated, and waved.
     "Oh! I'm sorry, I just got carried away...hi, I'm Mia Koji. At least now we're formally introduced. Sorry about what happened earlier...It's just, all this is so intriguing. According to these accounts, The Ancient wanted to create an armor capable of uniting the Nine against Talpa, and because it wasn't bound to his armor, it could not be controlled by his evil influence. According to this, the only other recorded Lady Ronin before Tanya is a woman named Mardrena Lockehart."
     "Lockehart? That's a European name," Cye brought up.
     "Scottish, to be exact. She fought against the Dynasty and common bandits until her death...it says here she died at age 76."
     "For a woman back then to live that long is extremely rare. Average age was little over forty. Most women died of disease or poor health," Rowen commented.
     "It also says here there is a set of verses describing the traits required by a Lady Ronin to properly use the Armor. It's written in Latin so I can't translate all of it right now, but I can probably decipher it after I contact-"
     "Mighty fighter, swift and blithe, she is the One who Binds the Nine. She conquers foes by words, not wrath, hers is always the righteous path," Tanya recited flawlessly. "Wrapped within the Eye of the Storm, it is the Voice of the Earth." Mia blinked in surprise and glanced down at the words from the computer printout.
     "My Latin's quite a bit rusty, but if I'm not mistaken, you just repeated it perfectly. How did you-?"
     "Every day of my training, the Typhoon Verses were drilled into my mind so I would never forget my purpose as the new Lady Ronin," Tanya explained.
     "Wait, that part in the verse that said 'One who Binds the Nine'. What does that mean?" Sage asked.
     "Whoa! She can't be leader! That's Ryo's job!" Kento protested. Ryo glanced at his friend but didn't seem alarmed.
     "Don't get your shirt in a knot, stupidass," Tanya snapped. Kento blinked, taken aback by her prolific profanity. "I'm supposed to be a mediator, a bridge for the Nine. My real position is as a companion, not a commander."
     "Even so, you're certainly well equipped," Ryo complemented. Tanya had drawn out all of her armor's weapons and laid them on the table for all to see earlier. Mia picked up the circle-shaped blade gingerly.
     "Indeed. The Armor of Typhoon has quite an impressive arsenal...but...if I'm not mistaken, this is a chakaram...that's an Indian weapon," Mia commented as she examined the fine detail. Tanya shrugged and closed her eyes.
     "Hey, I'm not the one who designed this. Typhoon was a group effort." Mia looked up.
     "What do you mean by that?" she asked and set the blade disc back down.
     "The Ancient could only create the Nine by separating Talpa's armor. He couldn't make a new armor from scratch alone, so he enlisted mystical contacts from all over the world; metal-workers, enchanters, shamans, and druids. Their combined efforts allowed the Ancient to bring the Armor of Typhoon into being and imbue it with the power to sweep away evil, the power of wind." Tanya picked up the chakaram and began twirling it around on her finger lazily. Mia winced and opened her mouth. She knew that while a chakaram had a blunt inner rim, the outer rim had a wickedly sharp edge. The way Tanya wielded it seemed so casual. Tanya continued swinging it about around her finger while she spoke then, without warning, flung the disc towards the wall. Mia ducked reflexively even though the blade whizzed past more than three feet away. She gasped, sure it would strike the wall.
     Tanya raised her left arm and clenched her fist. A thin blade-tipped golden cord shot out of a launcher built into the gauntlet and snagged the chakaram. She pulled it back with a sharp jerk of her arm and caught the blade with ease.
     "I-I would appreciate you not doing that in the house," Mia chided, grimacing slightly. Tanya shrugged and separated the weapon into its halves then slid them under the sword scabbards on her back. She then began gathering up her other weapons: two long swords and two daggers, and replacing them in their sheaths.
     "Well, if you are all quite finished..." The others watched in amazement as the armor plates glowed brightly then faded and vanished, leaving Tanya in her casual wear. The unarmored Lady Ronin looked at them entreatingly and clasped a hand over her tummy. "I haven't eaten since this morning," she whined.
     "Re-lax, Tanya! Cye and Mia here are two of the best cooks that ever lived!" Kento bragged and clapped a hand on the Lady Ronin's small shoulder. "They'll make you the best coming-home-dinner you've EVER tasted!"
     "Don't touch me," Tanya warned abruptly and narrowed her eyes. Kento blinked and quickly withdrew his hand, surprised by the tone in her voice. Despite this display, his claim did not go unproven as it took Cye less than half an hour to fix up quite a feast. The others seated themselves as Mia fixed up the table. Ryo almost laughed outloud as he saw the stunned expression on his sister's face, as if she had never seen such an amount of food in her entire life. Cye brought over the last plate and took his seat.
"Okay everyone, dig-" Mia began. Normally that honor went to Kento, but Tanya beat him to it and quickly began eating, only pausing to take a sip from her glass.
     "Geez Sis, you starve yourself during training?" Ryo commented and raised an eyebrow. He had barely touched his plate and Tanya had finished nearly a third of her meal. Tanya chewed up something then gulped it down.
     "Combat rations. Nothing but dried fruit, meat, biscuits, and water." Kento and Rowen winced sympathetically. Just the thought of such a scant amount of food seemed ghastly. The others began eating and tried to initiate conversation with their guest. Tanya gave terse replies and seemed more focused on enjoying dinner as she finished her first serving and reached over to take seconds.
     Sage wanted to inquire about her training and technique before being rudely interrupted by an equally rude burp from Kento. "Kento! You mind?!"
     "Hey, I was just voicing my complements to the chefs, you know, good food and all," Kento shrugged. Sage opened his mouth to speak then averted his gaze and sighed.
     "Actually, that's Roman," Rowen quipped.
     "Huh?"
     "In Ancient Rome, guests at a banquet would...regurgitate the food they had eaten in order to make room for more. It was considered the highest complement to a cook," the Ronin of Strata explained. Kento made a face and looked at his plate.
     "...well that's stupid. It's a waste of food."

"Regardless, Kento, say 'excuse me'. Incase you've forgotten, we do have a Lady Ronin present, and you should mind your manners," Mia chided.
     "Fine, excuse me," Kento grumbled. Tanya didn't seem to notice and reached for her glass. Cye, however, noticed how she emptied the entire glass.
     "Uh...Tanya...did you just finish your entire drink in one gulp?" he asked. The others paused in eating and looked at her. Tanya swallowed then placed a hand on her chest. She tilted her head to one side and took a deep breath in through her nose. Ryo raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her actions. Tanya seemed to stop breathing then held up a finger. Wait for it. She placed her hand back on her chest and paused then held up her finger again. She took a second deep breath and opened her mouth.

The others jumped in shock at the rattling, rumbling sound emitting from the Lady Ronin's small throat. Cye blinked several times, wide-eyed and utterly stunned. Ryo pursed his lips and he slowly reached up and began scratching the back of his ear. Tanya shifted her hand to below her collarbone and raised her arm higher, as if producing a grand musical score. Tanya closed her mouth then keeled over in her chair slightly. "Hoo boy, dizzy..."
     Sage blinked slowly, mouth agape in alarm at the massive breach of etiquette . Mia looked utterly flabbergasted. Rowen raised his eyebrows. "There...there had to have been more than twelve separate pitches in that!" he remarked. Tanya shrugged and nodded a silent thank you. Kento blinked then smiled and pumped a fist into the air.
     "Whoo hoo! Way to go Tanya!" he cheered.
     "Kento! Don't encourage her! Tanya, say 'excuse me'!" Mia snapped.
     "Excuuuuuuuoooooose me," Tanya burped out with a smirk. Sage shook his head, exasperated. Ryo chuckled merrily at his sister's antics. Mia blew air through her nose then reached over and smacked Ryo in the arm.
     "Ryo! That's enough! Tanya, I know some of the guys tend to goof around, but that is no reason for you to sink to their level. As long as you are a guest in this house, there are rules you should follow and a certain degree of etiquette you're expected to display, especially during dinner. I know you are not accustomed to being with people because of your training, but I would expect a little more dignity from a Lady Ronin," while Mia chastised her, Tanya placed an elbow on the table and rested her cheek in her palm. "Kento acts like a goofball sometimes, that's a given, it's the way he is by nature. You however, are obviously a very talented young woman and should act a bit more maturely-did you just flip me off?!" Mia exclaimed and nearly sprang out of her chair.
     "No I didn't," Tanya replied quickly. The others had only seen a flash of movement but really couldn't testify that they saw her giving Mia the bird.
     "Ryo! Please tell your sister that she is expected to behave and not to be so vulgar in this household," Mia nearly yelled. Ryo blinked, not sure how to diffuse the situation.
     "Uh...Tanya, look, Mia's been our friend for many years and she deserves some respect," he said softly.
     "Well Ryo, no offense to your 'friend' here, but no one has my respect unless they earn it," Tanya replied caustically. She slid out of her seat and stood up then flung her napkin on the table. "Now if you'll 'excuse' me, I believe I'm full. Thanks for the grub Cye," Tanya acknowledged then stalked upstairs and into the den. Conversation around the table died somewhat.
     "Your sister definitely has issues, Ryo," Sage commented.
     "Hey! Lay off of her, okay! You don't know what she's been through...hell, I don't know. Just give her some time. You can't judge her so quickly," Ryo snapped.
     "We won't have to do that since she's obviously judging us quickly," Mia scowled. Ryo threw her a disappointed look then stood up out of his seat and went upstairs to talk with his uncooperative sister. Cye remained quiet and pushed food around on his plate. Kento glanced at both Ryo and Tanya's abandoned plates.
     "Hey, any you gonna finish that?" he asked and pointed at the plates. Rowen rolled his eyes and sighed.
     Ryo stood in the doorway quietly and watched his sister as she sat perched on the back of a sofa looking out the window. He stepped into the room and walked up behind her. She remained silent, waiting for him to speak first. "You didn't have to be so rude to Mia. She's been a good friend to us for a long time, but you've barely met her and you already act like you hate her."
     "I don't hate her, Ryo. Its just...I'm not used to...this," Tanya whispered. Ryo sat down beside her, brow wrinkled in worry.
     "What happened to you?" Tanya glanced at him. "What happened to my sister? You were never this distant." Tanya looked away.
     "I'm sorry, but being out there by myself for so long...kinda affected me..."
     "Oh come on. You said yourself Whiteblaze was with you."
     "He's a tiger. That's different. I'm not used to being around people my own age. The only friends I did have during my training were Whiteblaze and The Ancient-"
     "Whoa, what did you just say?" Ryo frowned and stiffened in his seat.
     "The Ancient. He mentored me when I-"
     "You mean The Ancient was with you before the Dynasty War? He was with you all that time?" Tanya frowned at the almost frantic edge to Ryo's voice.
     "Yeah...he was...but-" Ryo's mouth twisted in a sneer and he stood up and turned around. He began pacing alongside the sofa, knocking the sofa arm with his fist.
     "So...all this time...he knew...he knew and he never told me...he could've told me back then, but instead he took that secret with him to the grave..." Ryo chuckled grimly.
     "What?" Tanya's eyes widened at that. Ryo turned to face her, smiling in an eerie way.
     "The Ancient met with us before our invasion of Talpa's castle during the First Dynasty War. He...reminded us of our purpose, told us to be strong...but he never...said...a word about you being alive." Ryo folded his arms over his chest and sat down on the sofa arm. "He sacrificed himself in order to pave the way into the castle for our attack. He died, but he never told me you were alive. The son of a BITCH!" Ryo screamed and punched the sofa back. "DAMN HIM!"
     "Ryo, you shouldn't be saying those things about him. It's not his fault. If he had let on that I survived, Talpa could've easily hunted me down. Remember, I was by myself for an entire year after The Ancient left to help you guys."

"That's still no excuse!" Ryo snapped, a wild, seething anger in his eyes.
     "You and the other Ronin Warriors had a lot to worry about with freeing the city and destroying Talpa. He probably thought it would've distracted you-" Tanya reasoned.
     "WELL MAYBE I NEEDED TO BE DISTRACTED!" Ryo howled. Tanya jumped slightly in her seat as Ryo began pacing again. "You weren't there. You don't know what it was like for us back then! Every day was a living nightmare and every minute we thought was our last! Sometimes it felt like we were fighting a losing war! I could've used some hint that you were alive! I could've used some reassurance! I could've used some-"
     "Hope?" Ryo paused in his tirade and glanced at his sister, who sat on the sofa, small and calm. Ryo blinked when he thought he saw a pale pink symbol glowing on his sister's forehead, framed by her bangs. It faded before he could translate it. "As long as I am here, you will never be without hope. You will never be burdened by despair, or crippled with fear and doubt. That is the reason Talpa tried to kill me. That is the reason I was saved and grew up the way I did. That is why I came back." Ryo, eased by his sister's reply, sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hugging her tightly. Tanya reached up and squeezed his shoulder. "I'll try Ryo. I know the others are your friends, but it won't be easy."
     "I won't force you if you're not ready," he whispered and stroked her hair. The two siblings sat there, the ache of isolation finally cured after so many years...

*****

Ryo convinced Mia that Tanya finally agreed to behave and to let bygones be bygones. While she worked to prepare a spare bed for their new house member, the Lady Ronin lounged outside on the roof with her hands clasped under her head. She heard a few thumps and glanced to the side and saw Whiteblaze pad over. "Hey there," she greeted as the ancient cat lay down beside her. He nuzzled her neck and crooned in concern. "I know, I know...they're really good people. I...just feel so out of place. It's like after being out there for so long, even though I wanted to be with Ryo, I can't stand being near people. It's weird...but I suppose all things just need time," she muttered and twiddled her fingers through the spiky tufts on Whiteblaze's chin. Whiteblaze smiled and licked her ear. Tanya giggled and squirmed. They could hear voices drifting up through the windows and the chimney. Tanya snickered. "I'm the 'big mystery', I guess."
     Rather than chuff in response, Whiteblaze rose to all fours and growled. Tanya frowned and sat up. "What is it, old friend?" Whiteblaze stared out into the forest. Tanya recognized that expression of alarm. She crouched and sprang into the air. Her clothes had vanished, replaced with her white and magenta sub-armor before she hit the ground. She turned around and looked up at Whiteblaze. The tiger remained perched on the edge of the roof, tail swishing from agitation.
     "Tell Ryo I'm going out to take care of whatever this is. I'll be allright. I can take care of myself." Tanya turned back around. "Mia's home is like a safe haven for them. There they can relax, and forget about the worries of being a Ronin Warrior. I won't let them be disturbed," with that firm declaration, Tanya took off running into the forest.

*****